Card table



May 7, 1940. R. F. HARRIS 2,199,745 Y CARD TABLE Filed July 14, 1939 /l M, j

iV-35 and application of the invention, throughout- Patented May 7, 1940 UNITED STATES e'rENTy @OFFICE CARD `TABLE Robert F. Harris, Los AngelesfCalif. i

Application July 14, 1939, Serial N0. 284,484

6 claims.

This invention relates to tables and relates more particularly to card tables. A general object of this invention is to provide a practical,

effective card table that facilitates the playing f rf 5 of card games of various kinds.

Another .object of this invention is to provide a card table having novel, yet very simple, means for reducing or preventing arguments, doubts and discussions regarding phases of the play such as the disposition and location of the players cards, wagers, etc.

Another object of this invention is to provide a card table having a centrallyv and conveniently located receptacle for receiving the chips, tokens,

or other objects of play that is formed and arranged for easy insertion and removal.

Another object of this invention is to provide a card table of the character mentioned having series of suitably marked, colored, .or otherwise designated areas or zones for each player, uplon which the players may place their cards, chips,

or objects of play as the game progresses, said' zones being distinctive in color, location, etc. so

that the several players may all readily detery mine the progress of the game as played by each player.

A further object .of this invention is to provide a card table of the character mentioned that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and that is capable of considerable variation to adapt it for the playing of games of various kinds.

The various objects and features of my invention will be fully understood from the following f detailed description of a typical preferred form which description reference is made to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective viewrof the card table of the present invention and Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, central, vertical section .of the card table.

The improved card table of this invention may be said to comprise, generally, a supporting structure I0, a zoned playing surface or board II, and

a pot or receptacle I2 associated with the board II for the reception of the chips, tokens, or ob-v jects of play. f

The supporting structure III is provided to carry or support the playing board Il. The

structure Il) may be varied considerably in character and design without departing from theinvention. In the particular case illustrated the structure I includes a base I3 adapted to rest on the floor, a plurality of spaced legs I4 projecting upwardly from the base' I3, and a spider I5 `vertical center of the board Il.

(Cl. 273-136) on the upper ends of the legs' Ill. lThe base I3 may be round or polygonal and is preferably quite Vlarge to lend the required'stability to the table structure. The legs I4 may be suitably fixed to the base I3 and may be formed of pipe, tubing, or

l other materials. The spiderr I forms a connecting element for the several legs I4 and presents extensive surfaces for the support of the board II. In practice the spider I5 may be formed` of metal and 1may have downwardly facing sockets I 6 for the reception of the upper ends of the legs I4. A central opening Il of substantial diameter is provided in the spider I5. A subboard I 8 is secured to the spider I5 by bolts, screws, or other securing means I9.

The playing surface or board II may be of any selected shape, for example, it may be round or disc-shaped or it may be polygonal in plan elevation. In the particular form of the invention i1- lustrated. the playing board lII is octagonal in' plan view, having eight angularly related edges or margins and being designed to accommo.- date eight players.` The board I I may be formed of any selected material or materials, and may be constructed as found most practical and eco: l

nomical. In the typical arrangement illustrated, l the board II is laminated or made up of superi' imposed layers or parts of wood, or the like. The

playing board I shown in the drawing comprises a lower layer or part 2l resting on and secured to the subboard I8, and a top part made up of a .number of sections 22 and 23, as will be presently described. The lower board part 2l is of suilicient thickness to givethe board I'I the required strength and rigidity and may be fixed to the: subboard I8 by screws 24.

The sections 22'and 23 which cornprise'or` provide the playing surface of theboard II are arranged in a novel and distinctive manner. In accordance with the invention there is a plurality or series of sections 22 and 23 for the use of each player. As clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing there is a plurality. of groups or `series of the sections 22 and 23, each group'being .generally sector shaped or triangular, with a margin l20 as its base, and bounded on its opposite the invention illustrated the several sections 22 and 23 of each series are in parallel relation and the outermost sections 22 of the series are parallel with the adjacent table margins 2U. With this arrangement the sections 22 and 23 of the adjacent series are in angular end to end relation. The sections 22 and 23 of each series are in an alternating progression, there being an innermost or first section 22, a second section 23, a third section 22, a fourth section23, and so on. .The sections 22 and 23 are preferably in the same relation in the several series of zones or sections.

In accordance with the invention the playing board sections 22 and 23 are distinctive in appearance to be readily distinguished one from the other. It is preferred to make the sections 22 and 23 of different colors, although they may be formed of different materials or may be given diiferent finishes or textures. In oneform of the invention the sections 22 and`23 are separately formed parts inlaid or arranged in edge to edge relation, the sections 22 being all of the same material and the sections 23 being of a different material. W'hen the sections 22 and 23 are inlaid or arranged as just described they may be formed of wood, wood veneer, cork, linoleum, felt, fabric, rubber, brous composition, or the like. When the sections 22 and 23 are formed of wood the sections 22'may be made of a different species ofwood than the sections 23, for example, the sections 22 may be made of a dark wood while the sections 23 may be formed of a light colored wood. It is to be understood, of

course, that the sections 221 and 23 may be merely painted upon the board II, in which case they are of different colors. The strips 2G and 21 may be of any suitable material and of any desired color or colors.

The playing board zones or sections 22 and 23 are intended to be employed as separate surface parts or Zones upon which chips, coins, tokens, cards, and other objects of play may be placed and the positions of the sections 22 and 23 serve to indicate the different phases or steps of play when carrying the chips, cards, and the like. In

some cases it may be preferred to give the playobserved that each player has a series of distinctively colored and numbered sections 22 and 23 for the reception of his chips, cards, etc.,which sections are to be successively used as the play progresses, and that the positions of the sections 22 and 23, and the cards and chips thereon, are immediately observable by the several players, eliminating any possibility of the mistaken ownership of the tokens, chips, or cards.

The receptacle I2 is provided to receive the chips or other objects used in playing the game. In accordance with the invention the receptacle I2 is positioned at the playing board IIto be visible and conveniently accessible to the several players, and is removable so that it may be readily emptied. It is preferred to arrange the receptacle I2 in the center of the board II. central opening 21 is provided in the playing board II and the opening 21 extends downwardly through the subboard IB. The opening k21 is ,provided to receive the receptacle 21 with suitable f ing glasses.

clearance. In the case illustrated the receptacle I2 and the opening 21 are round or generally cylindrical. The receptacle I2 is preferably seated in the opening 21 to have its upper edge below or flush with the playing surface of the iboard II so that the chips or objects of play may be readily moved into it from the playing surface of the board. In the preferred construction illustrated the receptacle 21 has an outwardly projecting annular lip or ange 28 on its upper edge removably seating in a groove 29 at the mouth of the opening 21, The upper surface of the flange 28 is ush with and forms an even continuation of the playing surface of the board II. The engagement of the ange 28 in the recess 29 removably supports the receptacle I2 in the opening 21.

It is a feature of the invention that the receptacle I 2 is shaped or formed for easy handling and for ready insertion in and removal from the opening 21. The mouth or upper portion of the l'receptacle I2 is reduced in diameter to have a I2 may be inserted in the opening 21 to receive the chips, etc. and how it may be readily removed by engaging its internal shoulder 3U.

The card table of the invention may be provided with a container or drawer 3| for holding the cards, etc. The drawer 3| may be carried by 4suitable guides 32 to be accessible at one margin 20 of the table. The other margins 20 of the board I I may have guides carrying shiftable and removable drawers 33. The drawers 33 may have series of grooves 32 for the reception of rows of the chips or objects of play. The invention further includes drawers or slides 35 for carrying ash trays 36 and coasters or holdersv 31 for drink- The slides or drawers 35 are set in openings or guides in the under side of the board II to` be projectable from the board at its corners, that is, where the angular margins 20 join one another.

It is believed that the use of the carol table of the present invention will be apparent from the foregoing. The manner of employing the distinctive playing surface zones or sections 22 and 23 of course depends toa great extent upon the nature of the game. In seme instances the zones or spaces 22 and 23 may be used to receive playing cards during the progressive stages of play, While in other cases the Zones or sections may be utilized to receive chips, tokens, or other objects of play. Each player hasan orderly and readily distinguished series of Zones or sections 22 and. 23 for the reception of his cards, chips, tokens, or the like, and there can be no doubt as to the l ownership and disposition of the cards or objects of play during the succession of plays. The receptacle I2 is located in the center of the playg,v ingboard II where it is within the full view of the several players and where it is conveniently accessible. When it is desired to remove the receptacle I2 at the end of the game a player may reach in the mouth of the receptacle and engage,

the shoulder 30 to lift the receptacle from the opening 2l. The receptacle i2 may be replaced by merely inserting it in the opening 2 to have its flange 28 fit in the recess 29.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application of my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variations or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art, or fall within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

l. A card table comprising supporting means, a playing board carried by the supporting means having a substantially central opening, the board having a series of sections for each player radiating from the openingr upon which the objects of pla-y may be placed, identifying means for the sections, means for distinguishing the adjacent series one from the other, a wide mouthed receptacle for said objects, and means removably supporting the receptacle in the opening comprising a supporting iiange on the upper end of the receptacle resting o-n the board, the receptacle having a restriction at its mouth presenting an internal downwardly facing shoulder in the receptacle engageable by the fingers of a persons hand entered in the receptacle to insert and remove the receptacle, and an outwardly projectu ing flange forming the upper end of the restriction and projecting outwardly beyond the receptacle to bear on the board to support the recep-l tacle.

2. A card table comprising supporting means, a playing board carried by the supporting means having a substantially central opening and a recess at the mouth of the opening, a series of sections on the board on which the objects of play may be placed, there being a series of sections for each player and the sections of each series being in radiating relation to the opening and being of distinctive colors, lines diverging from the opening and separating the adjacent series,

a receptacle arranged in the opening and having a wide mouth to receive said objects, an outwardly projecting flange on the upper end of the receptacle cooperating with said recess to support the receptacle in the opening, the upper face of the flange being fiush with the top surface of the board, and an internal downwardly facing shoulder in the receptacle engageable by the fingers of a persons hand entered in the receptacle to facilitate the insertion and removal of the receptacle.

3. A game table comprising a support, a playing board on the support having a centrally 1ocated means for receiving the objects of play, the upper surface of the board being divided into a plurality of series of areas on which the objects of play are to be placed, said series radiating from said means and the adjacent areas of each section being of different colors to be readily distinguished, lines radiating from said means and separating the adjacent series.

4. A game table comprising a playing board :raving a substantially central opening, the upper surface of the board being divided into a plu- A rality of series of areas on which the objects of play are to be placed, said series radiating from the opening and the adjacent areas of each series being alternately light and dark in color to be readily distinguished, lines radiating from the opening and separating the adjacent series, and a receptacle removably arranged in the opening for receiving the objects of play.

5. A game table comprising a playing board having a substantially central opening, the upper surface of the board being divided into a plurality of series of areas on which the objects of play are to be placed, said series radiating from the opening, there being indicia on the areas of each series identifying the areas, lines sepa-rating the adjacentk series, and a receptacle in the opening for receiving the objects of play.

6. A game table cornygirisingA a playing board having a substantially central opening, the upper surface of the board being divided .into a plurality of series of areas on which the objects of play are to be placed, said series radiating from the opening and the adjacent areas of each series being of diiferent colo-rs, the said areas of adjacent series being in angular relation to be readily distinguished, and a receptacle in the opening for receiving the objects of play.

ROBERT F. HARRIS, 

